Alternating taillight and signal



March 3, 1936. o. J. CRAWFORD ET AL 2,032,472

ALTERNATING TAILLIGHT AND SIGNAL Filed Dec. 27, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Patented Mar. 3, 1936 UNITED v STATES PATENT OFFICE Oscar J. Crawfordand James W. Brown, Anderson, 1nd,, asslgnors of one-third to Ralph E.

White, Anderson, Ind.

Application December 27, 1934, Serial No. 759,415 2 Claims. (Cl.177-337) This invention relates to certain new and useful improvementsin alternating tail lights and signals.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a signallight andoperating means therefor especially designed for use in connection withmotor vehicles to indicate proposed changes in direction of travel andthe stopping of the motor vee cle, the signal embodying a pair of lightsadapted to be alternately flashed for quickly attracting attentionthereto, the two alternately flashing signal lights being in addition tothe usual tail light and closely associated therewith as by beinglocated in the same signal box.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an alternating taillight and signal especially designed for use in connection with motorvehicles and embodying the usual tail light, the illumination of whichis controlled by a manually operated switch and a signal lightassociated with the tail light with both the signal light and tail lightrendered alternately operable for flashing during application of themotor vehicle brakes.

With the above and other objects in view that will become apparent asthe nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists inthe novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter morefully described, shown in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a part of the apparatus forefiecting alternate illumination of two flashlight lamps;

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure1, showing two solenoids a1- ternately energizable with a singlearmature therebetween for efiecting closing movement of the contactelements for the alternate illumination of the lamp, the source ofelectrical energy,

the lamps and the circuits therefor;

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1,showing the spring device associated with the shaft carrying the balancewheel and armature for centering the armature and balance wheel when thecurrent is oif;

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view taken on line l4 of Figure 1,showing the two solenoids with the single intermediate armature and thebalance wheel with the stops for limiting movements thereof;

Figure 5 is a front elevational view of the pivoted contact memberadapted to be operated by the armature and the spring associatedtherewith for maintaining the contact member in anoff-center 5 positionwhen the current is on;

centrally depends from the top iting oscillatory movements of Figure 6is a side edge elevational view of the contact member;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary elevational view, partly in section of one endof the pivoted contact member and the contact cooperating therewith; 5and Figure 8 is an elevational view, partly in section illustratingdevices for efiecting alternate illumination of a regular tail light andstop light.

Referring more in detail to the accompanying drawings, and particularlyto Figures 1 to 7, electrical devices mechanically controlled in theiroperation are illustrated to effect the usual illumination of anautomobile tail light and the alternate flashing or illumination of apair of 15 stop lights, the electrical devices and appurtenancesincluding a mounting base plate upon which a frame including end legs IIand I2 and a top bar I3 is suitably mounted. A shaft 14 is rotatablysupported in the end legs H and I2 by 20 means of a point bearing [5associated with the leg II and an adjustable bearing l6 associated withthe leg l2.

A bracket construction I! is supported by and bar l3 of the 25 frame andincludes a pair of divergent downwardly extending legs l8 with asolenoid I9 carried by each leg I 8 at the inner side thereof with theadjacent ends of the solenoids spaced from each other as clearlyillustrated in Figures 2 and 30 4. A single armature 20 is disposedbetween the cores 2| of the two solenoids l9 and is fixed as at 22 tothe shaft I.

When the solenoids l9 are-de-energized,'the armature 20 moves to andremains at a point 35 midway the two armatures by means of devices shownmore clearly in Figs. 1 and 3 and comprising a collar 23 flxed to theshaft 14 adjacent the solenoid and carrying a lateral lug 24 disposedbetween a pair of leaf springs 25 that are an- 40 chored atcorresponding ends as at 26 to the top bar l3 of the frame.

The shaft is also'provided with a balance wheel 21 that is securedthereto as at 28 at the side of the solenoids l9 opposite the collar 23for lim- 45 the shafts. As shown more clearly in Figure 4, a lug 29projects. peripherally of the balance wheel 21 and moves between a pairof cushioned stops 30 carried by the base plate It. 50

Electrical contacts controlled in their operation by oscillatorymovements of the shaft II influenced by the armature 20 and thesolenoids l9, include a pivotally supported contact bar 3| having aspear-head contact 32 on each end thereof with the bar 3| notched atits, underside midway its ends as at 33 for the pivotal mounting andsupport on the upper end of an angle bracket 34 carried by the baseplate ID. A frame 35 rises above the contact bar 3| and a coil spring 36attached to the upper end of the frame and to the contact bar is somounted thereon as to cause the contact bar 3| to assume a tiltedposition at I either side of the pivot when the solenoids |9 arede-energized. Tilting movement of the contact bar 3| is effected bymeans of the arm 37 fixed as at 38 to the shaft I4 with the lower end ofthe arm 31 bifurcated to provide a pair of spaced lugs 39 between whicha pin 49 carried by the contact bar 3| extends. A pair of terminal posts4| and 42 are mounted on the base plate |0 respectively adjacent theends of the contact bar 3| and carry spring clip contacts 43 and 44respectively disposed above the contacts 32 on the contact bar 3|.

The signal embodies a lamp casing 45 carrying the usual tail light 46grounded as at 41 and having a wire connection 48 with the source ofenergy or battery 49 and controlled by the usual manual switch. The lampcasing 45 also contains a pair of stop lights 50 and 5| that are adaptedto be alternately illuminated or flashed by the mechanism hereinbeforedescribed. The battery 49 is grounded as at 52 and the conductor 53 fromthe other terminal of the battery has a switch 54 set therein and incommunication with the angle bracket 34 that is in electrical contactwith the contact bar 3| upon which the latter is pivotally supported.The lamp 5| is grounded as at 55 and has a conductor 56 extending to theterminal post 42, a wire 51 from the terminal 42 being in communicationwith the adjacent solenoid I9. The other stop light 56 is grounded as at58 and has a wire connection 59 with the terminal 4| and said terminalhas a wire connection 69 with the adjacent solenoid I9. The twosolenoids l9 are grounded as at 6|.

The tail light 46 is of the standard type being in communication withthe battery 49 'and switch controlled in the usual manner. The switch 54in the conductor 53 is mechanically connected to the' brake mechanism ofthe motor vehicle and upon application of the brake the switch 54 is Iclosed for completing the circuit from the battery 49 to thepivotalcontact bar 3| and when the latter is in the tilted position shown inFigure 2, under influence of the spring 36, the contact at the end ofthe contact bar 3| engages the contact 44, the current flowing over thewire 56 to the stop light 5| and to ground for return to the battery.Current also flows through the wire 51 to energize the adjacent solenoidI9 for the attraction to the core thereof of the armature 20. Suchmovement of the armature 20 effects rotation of the shaft M which isrotated against the tension of the spring and lug device 24 and 25 andare balanced by the wheel 21, the shaft |4 swinging the arm 31 to causeone of the lugs 39 to engage the pin 49 for moving the contact bar 4| onits pivotal support for separating one contact 32 from the contact 44and causing engagement of the other contact 32 with the contact 43. Suchmovement de-energizes the previously active solenoid l9 and effectsenergization of the other solenoid, and the illumination of the lamp 56and the circuit to the lamp 5| is broken.

As long as the mechanism remains in applied po- 1 noids l9 arede-energized, the shaft l4 centered and the contact bar 3| assumes atilted position by the spring 36 with one of the contacts 43 or 44engaged with a contact 32.

In.the form of invention illustrated in Figure 8, the signal casing 45acarries the usual tail light 461; and a single stop light 5611. that areadapted to be alternately illuminated or flashed during application ofthe brake mechanism of the motor vehicle while the tail light 460, iscontinuously illuminated when the stop signal is inoperative and acontrol switch for the tail light is turned on. The alternate flashingmechanism illustrated in Figure 2 is employed in this form of theinvention and the circuit for the tail light 46a includes the battery 62having one post grounded as at 63 and a wire 64 connected to the otherpost with a branch wire 65 leading to a terminal 66. A manually operatedswitch 61 is arranged in the branch wire 65. The armature 68 of asolenoid 69 is in electrical communication with the terminal 66 andcarries a contact ill that normally engages the contact |,by means ofthe spring 12 carried by the solenoid 69. The contact I! is carried by aterminal 13 that has a wire connection "I4 with the terminal post 42 andthe wire 15 from the terminal post 42 leads to the tail light'p'ivotally supports the contact bar 3|. The

solenoid |9 associated with the binding post 42 has a wire connection 79therewith and the solenoid |9 associated with the terminal post 4| has awire connection 86 therewith. The terminal post 4| has a wire connection8| with the stop light 50a.

vWith the manual switch 61 closed, the closing of the switch 16 causesthe current to flow over the wire 64 to the solenoid 69 to attract thearmature 68 and separate contacts 10 and TI, current flowing over thewire l'l to the bracket 34 and contact bar 3| of the flashing mechanismfor alternating contacts 32 into engagement with the contacts 43 and 44for the alternate illumination or flashing of tail light 46a and thestop light 59a. The operation of the flashing mechanism for the twolights is'the same when the manual switch 61 is in open position, thetail light 46a being illuminated by means of the brake operated switchI6 controlling the flow of energy from the battery 62 over the wire 11to contact bar 3| and contacts 32 and 44.

From the above detailed description of the invention, it is believedthat the construction and operation thereof will at once be apparent andwhile there are herein shown and described the preferred embodiments ofthe invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changesmay be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as claimed.

I claim:

1. In a traflic signal for automobiles, a tail lamp and a stop lamp, asource of electrical energy, electrical circuits forming communicationbetween the source of energy and the lamps, a manually operable switchin the circuit to the tail lamp, a switch in the circuit to the stoplamp adapted to be operated by the brake mechanism of the erable uponclosing of the switch in the stop lamp circuit to effect alternateillumination of the tail and stop. lamps, said means including a pair ofcontacts in the tail lamp circuit and a solenoid in the stop lampcircuit associated with one of said contacts for moving the same awayfrom the other contact when the switch in the stop lamp circuit isclosed.

2. In a traflic signal for automobiles, a pair of lamps, a source ofelectrical energy, electric circuits forming communication between thesource of energy and the lamps, a manually operable switch in thecircuit to one lamp, a switch in the circuit to the other lamp adaptedto be operated by the brake mechanism of the automobile, means in saidcircuit rendered operable upon closing of the brake mechanism operatedswitch to effect alternate illumination of the two lamps, said meansincluding a pair of contacts in one circuit and a solenoid in the othercircuit associated with one of said contacts for moving the same awayfrom the other contact when the switch in the stop lamp circuit isclosed.

. OSCAR J. CRAWFORD.

JAMES W. BROWN.

